I'm a virgin at "frapping" So I would like some simple step by step rules how to use it. I am rolling BF2 multiplayer on 1080P all maxed out on my current setup and would like to calculate it. Thank you

I use 1080p30fps (same as my camcorder so its easy to edit) full size, and have the 4 gb split turned off.

The thing that really really makes a huge difference is recording to a separate drive than either the game or windows. I use a raid 0 with two Momentus XT's and I don't have issues with stutter or lag when recording.

I have used Fraps extensively along with having tried Game Cam, PlayClaw, Camtasia and DxTory, and I can tell you without a doubt DxTory is by far the best capture program available and costs only $5 more than Fraps. Many whom have tried DxTory feel it's the capture program that has finally dethroned Fraps. So, before I continue, I certainly hope you haven't purchased Fraps.

Here's the differences between DxTory and Fraps. I had an entire list made up that I've posted before, but can't find it. I may be forgetting some things, but as soon as I can get back on to GameFront (down for maintenance or something) I can double check it.

1. DxTory can capture without lag and record at any FPS you choose (30 is optimal for YouTube) while playing at your normal gaming FPS without any capture lag. Fraps is limited to capturing at the FPS you play at, and is known for it's heavy lag

2. DxTory can use more than one HDD to write captures simultaneously with it's "Distribution HDD Writing" feature. This is how it captures lag free. Other capture prog devs have claimed their's record lag free (Game Cam, PlayClaw), but in reality they just dumb down the quality of video to do so. This is the FIRST capture program to use this type of feature to record lag free without image quality compromises.

3. DxTory can be set to use any size output file. With Fraps you only get half and full frame options.

4. DxTory can capture audio and video uncompressed, with one of 3 settings using it's own codec, or via any bitrate you choose with a number of other installed codecs

5. DxTory has a built-in FPS limiter. You can set it to any FPS or not use it at all

6. DxTory has a built-in HDD write speed bench tool

7. DxTory has a built-in cropping feature

8. DxTory has a built-in AVIMux tool

9. DxTory has a built-in AVIFix tool

10. DxTory has a support forum

Now for some general capturing/encoding tips.

1080p looks nice, but few people view YouTube vids in 1080p because it buffers so slowly. You can try it and maybe ask people what size they're viewing in. If most say 720p, than you will have wasted lots of file size making those 1080p output files when you could have made 720p ones. 1080p files also take MUCH longer to encode and upload.

DxTory will allow you to play at 1080p with the full FPS your rig is capable of and capture at 720p (or anything you choose), while outputting the file in a perfect for YouTube 30 FPS.

x264 offers superior image quality and can be plugged into VirtualDub easily

If you want good image quality, even using x264 bitrates for 720p can range from 3000-6000Kbps. For 1080p it can range from 7000-10,000Kbps.

There are guides on how to compress with x264, or you can DL it and ask about anything you don't understand here.

If I were you i wouldn't choose any framerates lower than 60, choose stereo audio, and set it so it only records your mic when you press a certain key. A little tip is that If you're saving your clips to a hard drive thats almost full, you're gunna lag quite a bit. I have no idea why, it just happens.

If I were you i wouldn't choose any framerates lower than 60, choose stereo audio, and set it so it only records your mic when you press a certain key. A little tip is that If you're saving your clips to a hard drive thats almost full, you're gunna lag quite a bit. I have no idea why, it just happens.

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Fraps doesn't lock your FPS to 30, its just what it records at, that's been fixed in a somewhat recent patch.

Fraps doesn't lock your FPS to 30, its just what it records at, that's been fixed in a somewhat recent patch.

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I'll have to check this, I bought the full version some time ago but haven't used it much since DxTory came out. I remain skeptical though because the only way to really capture without locking FPS and not induce lag on high resource games is via A) the capture prog dumbing down the image quality, or B), using some feature in the capture prog to minimize it's tendency to cause lag, such as DxTory's Distribution HDD Writing.

What makes me further skeptical is many are still saying they record at 60 FPS with Fraps, and the only reason that's ever been done is to allow the games to play at that FPS.

I'll have to check this, I bought the full version some time ago but haven't used it much since DxTory came out. I remain skeptical though because the only way to really capture without locking FPS and not induce lag on high resource games is via A) the capture prog dumbing down the image quality, or B), using some feature in the capture prog to minimize it's tendency to cause lag, such as DxTory's Distribution HDD Writing.

What makes me further skeptical is many are still saying they record at 60 FPS with Fraps, and the only reason that's ever been done is to allow the games to play at that FPS.

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Why would you record at 60fps? That doesn't make any sense from an editing perspective, 29.97/30 fps is the standard for broadcast/what other cameras record at. If you record at 60fps then you're using at least twice as much storage space, and that would also require more horsepower to record too.

Why would you record at 60fps? That doesn't make any sense from an editing perspective, 29.97/30 fps is the standard for broadcast/what other cameras record at. If you record at 60fps then you're using at least twice as much storage space, and that would also require more horsepower to record too.

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Uh, nothing like misinterpreting pretty much everything I've said.

I think you need to go back and re-read my posts. I'm the one pointing out that one of the major differences between DxTory and Fraps is that with DxTory you CAN record at 30 FPS while playing at whatever FPS your rig can manage.

Most like to play at 60 or more FPS when they can. With Fraps you've always had to record at 60 FPS if you want to PLAY at 60 FPS because Fraps has always locked the gameplay FPS to that of the capture FPS.

It was said above Fraps no longer locks gameplay FPS to capture FPS, and as I said, I'm skeptical about this because I still see people saying they're setting Fraps to 60 FPS. You would also think there'd be some kind of capture optimizing feature mentioned (such as DxTory's Distribution HDD Writing), if in fact it CAN produce lag free frame rates without having to lock the capture FPS to the gameplay FPS.